When To Hire A Public Adjuster?

Unfortunate events can befall anyone anytime. At such times, your saving grace is the insurance policy purchased, keeping in mind such an occurrence. All you have to do now is file your claim. When it comes to filing claims, there are those who think hiring a public adjuster is a waste of money, and then there are those who think they are a godsend to their own ideology. 

A Public Adjuster is the person who evaluates the damage to the property on behalf of the policyholder, files the claim, and takes charge throughout the subsequent proceedings until the claim is fully settled. It means the homeowner secures the Public Adjuster’s services in exchange for a fee (a fixed percentage of the claim settlement amount) and not the insurance company. To be exact, the Public Adjuster works for the public, which could be an individual or a business.

1. A Public Adjuster works for the policyholder. Conversely, an Insurance Adjuster works for the insurance company.
2. A Public Adjuster is pro policyholder while the loyalties of an Insurance Adjuster lay with the insurance company.
3. A Public Adjuster will make the claim settlement process smooth and easy for the policyholder. The Insurance Adjuster will try to complicate matters so that the insurance company can get away by paying as little as possible.

Before we deal with when to hire a Public Adjuster, let us take a few minutes to understand their work. Many people don’t even know about Public Adjusters. They erroneously think that the Insurance Adjuster (employee of the insurance company) is working on their behalf.

If you want somebody to look after your interests and handle the claim settlement from beginning to end on your behalf, the person you need is the Public Adjuster. As a homeowner, you employ his services for a predetermined percentage of the final claim settlement. After that, all you need to do is sit back and wait for him to work the magic. A Public Adjuster will help you in many ways like:

1. Document the damage to property and file the claim.
2. Do a proper damage assessment and gather estimates.
3. Fill all the forms and supply all the supporting information, including the Proof of Loss.
4. Schedule the meetings with the people involved and attend them on your behalf.
5. Ensure that the insurance company does not try to take any undue advantage.
6. Get you the highest possible settlement possible under the circumstances.

Now let us address the elephant in the room, which is “When to Hire a Public Adjuster”? There are some situations where hiring a Public Adjuster is to your best advantage. Let us briefly have a look at these circumstances.

1. If You Are Too Busy To Deal With The Insurance Company – Some of us lead hectic lives leaving very little time for dealing with things. When it comes to filing a claim and getting the settlement, there are many formalities involved. At times, you may even have run back and forth trying to fill the forms correctly or getting the estimates. The point is, at the very beginning, you know whether you have the time and capacity to do all the running around and getting frustrated. If you know for sure it’s not your cup of tea, let the Public Adjuster take charge and handle matters.

2. The Forms Are Too Confusing – Like all good intentions, you may decide to do all the work yourself and file the claim. Yet when you start filling the forms, you realize your lack of knowledge. It means you inadvertently make mistakes and land up filling the same forms again and again. With Public Adjusters’ help, you can file the claim correctly with all the supplemental information in the very first go.0

3. If The Insurance Policy Makes No Sense To You – There are many clauses in an insurance policy with legal jargon thrown in abundance. Most people will find it challenging to understand the coverage and the terms of the policy. The insurance company is well aware of this fact and tries to make you run circles or leave you feeling uncertain. At this time, only a Public Adjuster can come to your rescue. If you don’t want to hire them for the leg work, you can still use their services to gain clarity on your policy.

4. The Damage To Property Is Extensive – Almost every insurance company tries to pay as little as possible in claims. If the damage to your property is extensive, you cannot take any chances. What you need is the highest possible settlement so that you don’t suffer a financial setback. A Public Adjuster will always try to get you top dollar for the loss you have suffered. They are in it to get you the highest payout. After all, the bigger your settlement, the higher their fee.

5. The Insurance Company Is Delaying Your Claim – The delaying tactic employed by the insurance company is not a new practice. They do so to make you so frustrated that you are thankful for any settlement, no matter how insubstantial it is. Another more genuine reason behind the delay could be that the occurrence was a catastrophe and led to thousands of claims, one of which is yours. A Public Adjuster will ensure that the insurance company employs fair practices and your claim does not get buried in the pile.

One can hire a Public Adjuster at any time, at the very beginning, as soon as the damage happens, or anywhere in between before the claim settlement. It’s also common to get confused between hiring a Public Adjuster or an attorney to approach the insurance company on one’s behalf. Though both have their own benefits, we recommend hiring a Public Adjuster if it’s a claim. If the claim gets denied or some legal situation arises from it, only then, hire an attorney.

If you are looking for a reputable Public Adjuster, one you can put your faith in, your answer is Continental Public Adjusters . With our offices throughout Florida, we will be glad to assist you in your claim settlement journey.